What was Peeta Mellark playing at?
by AndradeFreak
Summary: Everything that Peeta Mellark had said during the Hunger Games had only been half true. He did have a special someone back in district 12, he did have a problem with winning...howwever, the lie was his claim of it being Katniss Everdeen - PeetaxGale
1. What was Peeta Mellark playing at?

Everything that Peeta Mellark had ever said during the Hunger Games had only been half true. He did have a special someone back in district 12 and he did have a problem with winning the Hunger Games as a way to get that person to like him back. However, the lie that rang that whole scenario a fraud was the fact that he claimed the lover to be Katniss Everdeen.

He was not in love with the girl on fire; he cared for her yes, that was true, but love, no, not in the way that he clearly loved another. All his life he had worked for his parents in the bakery, watching exchanges go by between Katniss and his father, yet it wasn't Katniss who he found himself swooning over. No, it was the boy that was always by her side, the boy who clearly was a bit older than herself and himself. That boy, like Katniss, was a hunter; just about everybody in the district knew that, but what they didn't know was that the boy was also quite sweet and charming. Okay, that may or may not be true…after all, how could you not find Gale Hawthorne to be charming? The thing the rest of the district really did not know was that Peeta was madly and completely in love with the other boy. The two had never as so much exchanged a few words, sometimes glimpsing at one another but never for so long. Peeta was just too shy, and face it; he never really left the bake shop – not with his mother being the way she is.

When Peeta had told Katniss about loving her since he heard her sing as a recital in class that had only been half true. Because he had fallen in love that day, and it had been because of a voice he had heard, but neither thing had anything to do with Katniss Everdeen, at least not directly. That day he had set his eyes on Gale for the first time, and had realized then that the olive toned boy was music to his heart. He loved the way his voice sounded, loved the daring look within his eyes, and that undeniable charming smile. As the years progressed, Peeta had hoped that he would grow out of his obsession – which is what is was seeing as he almost nearly followed Katniss around knowing that she would help him (unknowingly) find the other boy – but it never faltered. Gale would just continue pulling the bread boy's heart around, never letting it go without any hope of survival. So imagine his surprise when he had been called on that fateful day, being chosen at the reaping and knowing quite well that he would have to kill Katniss Everdeen in order to win. He knew he could not do it, and he knew this because then Gale would never forgive him – never ever grace his life with another look in his direction – (they're as limiting as they are). So, Peeta had realized then that the only way to end his pain and assure happiness for the boy of his dreams; he would have to sacrifice his life and get Katniss back home. Then, hopefully, just then, he could be thought of by the other boy. Fate however had other plans, not only had he returned home alive with the other girl, but he had also gone along with the ruse that he and Katniss were star crossed lovers. It had been only a plan to make sure the girl survived, but now it seemed to just cause more trouble at home. Gale, the boy who he had risked his life to make happy, not only hated him now, but he just refused to ever look at him for even a second.

The boy would never come by the shop, and he would never be anywhere in short distance of him. Even in the Victor's village when Gale would visit Katniss, on selected Sundays outside of the hunting ones, the boy would leave as soon as Peeta made an appearance. It hurt him to say the least, he had done everything and anything he could think of…but the other boy would just never look at him… Never acknowledge him as anything but the guy who had stolen Katniss Everdeen from him…

Knowing that Gale Hawthorne was in love with Katniss didn't do much to help either; in fact, it was just the perfect icing on the cake of his miserable life.

Nothing ever went his way…

Peeta had just entered the front room of the shop with another bag of flour when he had spotted his father talking to the last person he had ever expected to see again.

Gale.

Peeta quickly looked away when the other boy glanced his way, blushing slightly for looking like a miserable fool drenched in flour. It was true that he and his family no longer had to work to make ends meat, but well baking was just in their blood. (It refused to lie and die down)

"I can give you two loathes of bread for these squirrels," Mr. Mellark assured with a kind nod, making Gale smile in both relief and glee, since he and him both knew that the man was only buying the squirrels out of pity. Pity that the man couldn't understand since the boy could just easily receive money for food from the Everdeen girl. Then again, the boy before him didn't look like the type to ever wish for anything out of nothing.

"Thank you, sir" Gale said as he watched the man head back into the back store room, setting his bag that he used to hold his game on the counter. Peeta stood uncomfortably as he packed the huge bag of flour into the cupboards, feeling eyes staring at him as he tried to stand on his tippy toes to put the sack above.

An annoyed grunt had rung through his ears before a pair of arms had assisted him on putting the bag of flour up, relieving him since his arms had nearly dropped the thing.

"Thanks," he mumbled shyly, turning to look at the taller/older boy who simply nodded and refused to look him the eyes.

"Welcome," the other muttered back, slightly annoyed. Peeta just glanced at the boy and then sighed; turning to look at the pans and utensils he would have to wash next.

"Do you mind waiting a few minutes?" Mr. Mellark asked, poking his head back into the store front, "I insist on giving you fresh bread, but they need just a few more minutes."

"No, I don't mind," Gale answered politely, looking at the man as he disappeared again.

Peeta sighed, trying to calm his heart as he began stacking up the pans.

"If you hate washing them so much then why do you do it?" An annoyed, yet curious, voice asked, making him turn around.

"What?" Peeta asked, confused.

"What?" Gale asked back, again annoyed, "Did I stutter or something?"

"Oh um…no," Peeta mumbled, turning back towards the sink, "I just… I do it for business, to help my folks-"

"You're filthy rich," Gale spat back, peering at the back of the blonde's head.

"So?" Peeta asked back

"So, you don't have to work anymore-"

"But where would I be then?" Peeta asked, turning around again, "I mean…I don't want to end up like one of those rich lazy capitol residents-"

"Guess not," Gale interjected, "But I just…you know, assumed you would like the idea of being set for life."

"A life of no work and being handed everything on a silver platter," Peeta muttered mostly to himself, staring at the boy, "you obviously know nothing about me if you think I wish to ever live like that…"

Gale paused, looking at the baker's son as his words sank in…

Suppose he didn't know much about the other boy then he thought… suppose, he never did consider him as anything but an arrogant naïve Pillsbury dough boy – Perhaps –

"Sorry for the wait," Mr. Mellark said as he appeared from the back room once more, "here you go, straight out of the oven."

"Smells good," Gale stated, grabbing the two loathes of bread from the baker, looking away from Peeta without another word in response.

"I sure hope so," the man exclaimed with a kind smile.

"Oh, believe me they are," Gale insisted, turning to leave with a thanks and goodbye. Peeta watched as the boy walked towards the door, hesitating to look back with a wave in his direction.

"Eh, see ya…Peeta," Gale mumbled, leaving before the other could say anything in return.

…

'See, ya…Peeta?' Gale thought, wondering why on earth he had even bothered to say a goodbye to the boy, or even help him for that matter. The boy shrugged and then looked at the sky as he began walking away from the bakery, '…well it was the politest thing to do, after all, he was looking hopeless with that bag of flour….then again, why care? Not like he would ever do a thing for me-

"Gale," A voice called out, making him stop in his steps and turn around in both surprise and wonder.

Peeta ran up to the dark haired boy and held out a sack to him, his face showing no real sign of emotion other than an out of place tint of red on his cheeks, (not that Gale noticed that is).

It took a while for Gale to realize what the sack was.

"Oh," Gale exclaimed, grabbing the usual sack he used for game, "Um…thanks, I really can't afford to lose this."

"You left it on the counter," Peeta stated, unsure of whether or not he should smile or remain obtuse to any emotion.

"Um, thanks," Gale said back with a nod, "really, I would have freaked if I lost it..."

Peeta nodded and then began to leave but Gale hollered out his name, making him turn around to face him again.

"I really mean it," Gale said with his most earnest voice ever, "thanks…"

"Yeah, no problem…" Peeta whispered back.

Gale watched as the boy faded back into the bakery. Thinking how unfair it was that the other was so nice, 'he makes it so hard to even hate him.' These past few weeks he had ignored the stupid kid, trying his best to remind himself that the boy had taken Katniss away from him. Yet she still was with him, in fact, it was really due to his work in the mines that they couldn't hang out as much, but still…he had admitted his dying love to her and the entire capitol. He was the reason Katniss questioned any future for themselves, he was the reason why she couldn't choose him, he was the reason… the reason why Gale felt mad at himself for hating a kind person. Yeah, it's true; he thought the baker's son was kind. He was also gentle, and quiet, always there but never outright declaring it. Gale always saw him when he would come with Katniss into the bakery, he would always see him at school as well. Yet, it wasn't until the Hunger Games that he had even remotely thought of him as anything at all really. He had honestly worried about the kind boy, thinking in his head that he would die for sure, but the boy had been stronger than he thought. He still is strong…

The thing with Peeta and Katniss had made him hate the boy though, had made him want the boy to die in the arena, even despite the truth that he had protected her all along. He knew that if it hadn't been for Peeta Mellark than she would've died…but if it hadn't been for Katniss than he would've died likewise. In the end, Gale knows not if the latter of it was for the best. In truth, today had been the first day for the boy with the bread to make him question everything about himself…

Question whether or not he was a bit harsh, brash, unobservant, and something else…something that irked him because not even the closes person to him, Katniss, had ever made him feel like this.

…

What was Peeta Mellark playing at?


	2. Why was Gale acting so weird?

'What was Peeta Mellark playing at?'

The same question kept ringing through Gale's head, not only in the mines but during his and Katniss's hunting trips. This of course bothered him more, here he was finally spending time with Katniss and the baker's son was on his mind – how pathetic.

"How's Peeta?" Gale blurted to Katniss, looking at the tree he was currently facing, wondering whether or not he should just climb it and hide from the fact that he had even asked such a question.

"What?" Katniss asked, clearly caught off guard. Okay, here it was, here was his chance to take it all back and shrug it off like a simple innocent slip of the tongue.

"How's Peeta?" He asked again, his insides churning because of how much of an idiot he was.

"…fine," the girl answered, placing her bow on one of the nearby boulders, looking at Gale with the utter most set eyes of curiosity, "why…?"

"Just wondering," he shrugged, digging his boots into the mud and roots of the tree.

"…oh," Katniss said in return, still staring at the guy.

"…has he, you know, mentioned anything…?"

"Like what, Gale?"

"I don't know…anything…?"

Katniss thought for a moment, trying to wrap her head around anything that Peeta had said in the course of the past two weeks, anything that Gale could possibly be curious about.

"…he mentioned that you left your bag at the bakery," She answered after a long pause, "and that he ran to give it back to you…"

"Oh…" Gale mumbled, sounding a bit disappointed by the answer. Then again, what could he have been possibly expecting?

"Oh," Katniss exclaimed, the gears in her head suddenly clicking back together, "he did mention about the idea of all three of us hanging out together."

"Really?" Gale asked curiously, turning to face the girl with his full attention, "When?"

"Two weeks ago?" She answered.

"And why are you only telling me now?"

She shrugged, "I didn't think you would care, or even accept the invitation."

Gale nodded, mostly to himself, as the words wrapped within his head. Two weeks ago he wouldn't have cared; in fact he would have scoffed and left it at that. But now, yes now, he was actually considering it. Perhaps it could be fun, but then again, wouldn't it be awkward because of the whole Katniss thing? 'Okay, wait, hold it. See, right there, right there, Gale of two weeks ago would have never even questioned the whole deal with Katniss and yet here I am, willing to hang out with the bread boy.'

"I don't," Gale retorted with a laugh, looking at his feet as he kicked a stone, making sure it landed away from him as if it itself was the cause of all his confusion and irritation.

"Sounded like you were pretty happy to hear about it a minute ago," Katniss pointed out with a teasing smile, her eyes remaining serious and questionable all the while though.

"Like hell I was," Gale laughed as he began to head over back to the fence that served as the end of District 12, "I was just a bit curious..."

"Why all so curious all of a sudden?" Katniss inquired, watching as Gale swung into the fence that now sat dead and unpowered, like usual.

"I'm not," Gale scoffed, looking at the floor as his chest heaved from the words he was about to speak, "what could I possibly find interesting about Peeta Mellark, Katniss?"

Katniss stood rigid after she had swung back into the district, her eyes piercing at Gale as though to tell him to shut up.

"Gale," she insisted, trying to break up his train of thought.

"Honestly," Gale continued, still scoffing and laughing with the upmost display of spite and venom, "how could you think so lowly of me Katnip? As if I would-"

Gale turned slowly as his sentence fell to the ears of the dead, his eyes wandering to seek out what was momentarily keeping Katniss's own attention from him.

And like fate would have it there stood, in front of the two, Peeta Mellark, his own facial features displaying a look of hurt and stupidity.

"…hey…guys," Peeta said a bit awkwardly, shifting from his right foot to the left, not daring to reveal his emotions like he had for a split second, "um…I was hoping to catch you two before you guys wasted time…on coming to the bakery."

The two hunters remained quiet.

Peeta gulped slowly, his eyes mainly focusing on Katniss, "my mom's there today, so no trading today…"

"Oh…" Katniss said, finally managing to find her voice, "thanks for the heads up…Peeta."

"Yeah," the blond nodded slowly with a small smile, "um…I'll see you guys later…"

Katniss furrowed her brows as she noticed the box that Peeta was carrying. 'Had he intended to do give them something?' she wondered.

"…what's with the box…?" Gale asked before she could, trying his best to remain calm in the hopes that the bread boy had not heard his words, which of course was very unlikely.

"Nothing," Peeta piped, turning for a split second to look at Gale with no real emotion behind his eyes, "just some stupid crap."

Gale nodded and was about to say something else but the other boy fled quickly, not looking back for even a second, not even to say goodbye, which he usually did.

"…he didn't hear me…right?" Gale asked Katniss, his voice light and full of regret.

Katniss sighed, stepping closer to the other so she could pat his shoulder lightly, "…what does it matter to you? Like you said, you don't care."

The moment Katniss and Gale had parted, he had begun walking about district 12; circling around the shops until he eventually came to place he had been avoiding…or circling depending on how you look at it. The bakery watched him as he stepped closer to the tree that sat before it, daring him to sum up all his courage to just barge in there and demand to speak to Peeta. That of course confused Gale even more, here he was – a hunter willing to hunt outside of the district against the capitol's laws – and he couldn't muster any kind of courage to talk to the baker's son? What was with him these days? Where was his head, where was his body and soul? The more Gale thought about it, the more confused he seemed to get. All he really knew was that this was only happening to him because of Mellark.

It was all his doing, no one else's, yet then why didn't it seem so obvious that there was indeed a hidden agenda beneath the bread boy's façade? Why did it seem so unlikely that the blond was actually conspiring a devious plot against him? The answer, because Peeta Mellark was Peeta Mellark, no questions asked.

Gale glanced at the bakery a moment as he considered the reason for him being here. He had made the boy upset, yes, that was the jest of it. He had said things he hadn't meant and the other boy had overheard them. Sure it was wrong, and a conception of bad timing, but why did he have to come and assure the boy that none of it was true? 'What was the big deal?' He thought as he scoffed and kicked the tree, turning away from the bakery once more.

It wasn't a big deal, it wasn't, he knew that, yet to Peeta it might've been…it might've hurt him…and well…it could have just as well been the biggest deal ever.

'Maybe I'm just overthinking this, overreacting,' he told himself, sighing as he turned to the face the bread house once more, 'yeah that's it, besides Peeta is strong, he can handle a little take of some criticism…then again, he was always soft at heart. But it wouldn't be the first time that he thought I hated him, then again, that day it kind of did make it seem like I was being nice to him. And to hear those things I said today, well…that's like a stab to the back…'

"Dammit," Gale exclaimed, hitting his head on the tree as he felt his thoughts mumble and jumble within his skull. What was doing this to him? Why was he so confused?

"What are you doing?" A voice asked, startling him as he jumped around to face the intruder of his darkest hour of turmoil.

"Peeta," he remarked, trying to collect his entire substantial coolness, but then again, that had probably gone out the window when the bread boy had seen him smack his head against the tree.

"You're freaking my mom out," Peeta said, looking towards the bake house to where a woman stood, her eyes glazing over Gale until she left the window with a look of annoyance, "she says that you keep circling the place and looking at our shop like a lost lunatic."

"Oh…sorry," Gale mumbled, his hand running through his hair as he tried his best to mask his embarrassment with a laugh and smile, "I was just…hanging around…"

"Why?" Peeta asked, looking at the taller guy with curious eyes.

"Um…" Gale felt his mouth go dry as he tried to figure out what to say, why was this so difficult?

"…if this is about earlier today, then, I don't care," Peeta said, turning to leave, but Gale shot out his arm and pulled him back to face him, "let go…"

"I'm sorry," Gale blurted, loosening his grip since it became clear that the other wouldn't try to leave now.

"What…?" Peeta asked, peering at the other boy in complete confusion.

"I'm sorry," Gale said again, not looking at the blond but at the window of the bakery where his mother had once stood, he actually hoped that Peeta's mom would interrupt the most embarrassing moment of Gale's life. Like life would have it though, she did not, "I didn't mean what I said, I was just…telling Katniss a bunch of crap…"

"Why…?" The blond questioned.

Gale shrugged and then looked at the boy, "I don't know…I just was…"

Peeta kept staring at the hunter, his eyes reading him before he smiled with a nod, "okay, apology excepted."

"Really?" Gale asked hopefully, feeling a form of relief wash up over him.

"Yeah," Peeta answered with another nod, "I mean, it was no big deal really, but I'm glad you actually apologized…"

Gale nodded with a smile, his insides churning at the words. 'Not a big deal…?' He thought, not letting his annoyance at himself ruin the moment between the two.

"No problem," he said with a slow nod.

Peeta smiled genuinely at him and then looked at the bakery, "I should probably go."

"Oh, okay," Gale said back, still smiling and nodding, "I'll see ya…around then."

"Yeah," Peeta said as he began to walk away.

Gale inhaled with a deep intake of breath before his next words flew out.

"Next Sunday," Gale breathed, receiving the other's attention once more, "I'm not working again, so, um…you and I, and Katniss, could you know…hang out, I mean, she told me you were saying something along the lines of that…" The hunter felt stupid as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks, his palms going sweaty with every passed word, what the hell was going on with him?

"Sure," Peeta accepted with a huge grin, "I'd like that."

Gale sighed in relief and then nodded at the boy who now stood on the patio of the bake shop, who was also nodding at him with a smile.

"See ya then," Gale said, feeling like the stupidest person ever.

"Yeah," Peeta agreed.

The two parted, and went their separate ways.

Peeta felt a flutter of happiness enter his stomach as he entered the bake shop, his palms already as moist as the little towelettes in the bathrooms of the capitol. He also held a goofy smile on his face, but he did not allow himself to feel like an idiot for long. He was not some goo-goo-gushing girl after all, even though Gale did make him feel like such. With a mask of indifference placed onto his features, a show for his mother really, he began to think solemnly at what had really been bothering him since he had spotted Gale at the tree.

'Why was Gale acting so weird…?'


	3. Life just isn't fair for Peeta Mellark

"Why is Gale acting so weird…?"

That had been the very first question Peeta Mellark had asked Katniss Everdeen when she had entered the bake shop, his mother, thankfully, was off duty and gone.

"Weird as in…how…?" The girl asked curiously, surveying the work Peeta was currently doing. She always did wonder how he could magically make dough into a wondrous art of delight and sweetness.

"Come on Katniss," Peeta pleaded, rolling the dough so it would be just right, "you of all people should be able to know when Gale is acting strange."

"I admit he has been weird lately," the girl said with a thoughtful face, "but I don't know why…"

"Don't you ask him about it?" Peeta asked curiously, setting the dough into the bowl of flour before commencing with more of its fluffing.

"I tried," the girl answered with a sigh, "but Gale is well…Gale, sometimes I honestly can't tell what he means when he talks…"

"He doesn't seem to have that problem from his side with you," Peeta muttered in a defeated tone.

"Yeah," Katniss agreed, kicking the soles of her boot against the counter, "so anyway, I already told Gale that I couldn't make it this Sunday on account of the whole me and Prim shopping thing."

"And how did he take it?" Peeta asked curiously, grinning from ear to ear as if he already knew, as if he didn't need to be told.

"He took it," Katniss thought for a moment, "like…how I thought he would…"

…

"What?" Gale asked, exasperated from the news he had just received from his best friend, the girl on fire, "why can't you go?"

"I promised Prim to go to the market all day with her; I haven't exactly had quality time with my own sister since the reaping…"

"Why didn't you tell me this before I told Peeta?" The guy whined with a frown, looking as if the whole scenario was now a disaster.

"Gale, you wouldn't have been able to come anyway, it's just going to be me and her."

"So, I'm supposed to tell Peeta not to come then?" He asked, honestly confused and hesitant.

"No," Katniss scoffed lightly, "just go do whatever you were planning-"

"That's kind of weird though, Katnip," Gale shrugged, slumping as he sat on the rock that served as their spot in the woods, "just me and him…without you…"

"Why?" the girl asked, honestly curious, "You seem to be hanging out with him when I'm not around anyway."

"That's different though," Gale said with another shrug, kicking the floor, "there's usually something going on at the moment so we just talk about that. What the hell are we supposed to talk about in an actual conversation?"

"Gale it's not that much of a big deal," Katniss laughed a bit lightly, which surprised even her, let alone Gale, "Honestly, you're acting like Prim when she finally got the guts to talk to that Lawson boy from her class."

That fumed Gale.

"I am acting nothing like that," he grumbled with a half glare.

Katniss tilted her head in an amusing smile and then ran her hand through the braid her mother had taught her growing up, "…just talk about hunting, he likes it when I do…talk about your snares, your traps, show him the spots here…" Katniss thought with a pause, thinking about how much Peeta seemed to love the show of beauty "…show him the mountains, the mountains that we love."

"Would he like to see those…?" Gale asked with a tilt of his head, actually considering it now that Katniss had brought it up.

"Of course," the girl nodded, "I think you guys have that in common, you both love natural beauty… he paints mountains, now and then you know...I bet he would love it if you showed them to him…"

'I bet he would love…you' Gale's mind silently interpreted as he looked at the floor of barren earth and leaves, not comprehending why his heart was suddenly doing summersaults and flips within his stomach. Gale moved his head back and forth when an image of Peeta smiling suddenly fled into his mind. He scoffed with a laugh.

"Fine, I'll show the baker boy the mountains…that is if he even is man enough to come out here"

Katniss rolled her eyes.

…

After what seemed like an eternity, Katniss found a beautifully done loath of bread steaming before her, the middle of it filled with something that Peeta called 'custard'. It smelled wonderful, she noted as she inhaled the aroma that soared from the slits at the very top.

"And done," Peeta declared after he finished carving a pattern on the top of the bread with a small cutting knife. Katniss smiled pleasantly as her eyes followed the trail of a floral pattern, one that curved and dipped and spiraled in all the right places.

"It's beautiful, Peeta," Katniss said with a nod.

"It sure is," another voice said from behind the huntress. The girl turned quickly and found Gale peering over her with his hands on his hips, an impressed face on his features. He always was so quiet with his steps.

"I thought you were in the mines still?" Katniss questioned curiously, looking at the taller male who glanced briefly at Peeta with a light smile.

"Got out early on account of some inspection thing, didn't know you would be here."

"Oh, so you just decided to come and pop up announced to bother Peeta again?" She teased.

Gale gave signs of a light blush but threw it aside, "I was just going to say hi."

Katniss continued to look at the guy questionably until she remembered Peeta was still standing with them, "show Gale that cake you made earlier, Peeta, the one with the mockingjays"

The blond nodded and then brought out a beautifully done green cake with mockingjays adorning around it as if they were just about to take flight.

"He made this one for you?" Gale asked, looking at the cake with the eyes of a craftsman, inspecting it as if it was one of his own snares in the woods.

"No," Katniss answered with a negative nod before Peeta could, "It's for you."

"For me?" Gale asked surprised, looking at Katniss and then at Peeta with an intense stare.

The bread boy lightly blushed and then began scratching his head with a nervous smile, "it's for tomorrow…"

"Oh," Gale nodded, moving from his left leg to the right, "can't wait, it should be delicious…"

"Hope so," Peeta smirked pleasantly. Gale laughed along with the boy and then ran his hand through his hair, looking at Katniss who had been watching the two silently and quizzically. He had honestly forgotten she had been there for those mere seconds.

The three looked between each other until both Peeta and Gale were ultimately looking at Katniss, who actually seemed quite entertained by how the two acted around each other. In fact, it was quite intriguing, like watching animals in the forest with her father as a young girl intriguing.

…

"See how the male bird watches the female, Katniss?" She hears her father saying, recalling a time when they had been perched at the window of the small house at the lake in the forest, watching two birds that lingered on close branches.

"Yeah," Katniss answered with a nod, holding onto the window sill so she wouldn't fall back and miss the sight, "…but why doesn't the male just go to her…?"

"He doesn't want to scare her off," her father chuckled, "It's like when I met your mother, we wouldn't directly speak, it would be a bit hard…we were scared, nervous, it's all about baby steps Katniss, about finding inner strength..."

"Inner strength…?"

"Sometimes the male is never quite sure whether or not the female is interested," her father explained, pointing as the male bird hopped a bit closer to the female one, "…it takes inner strength to get enough urge and courage to actually confront her."

The two had never learned whether or not the two birds had ever ended up together, they had flown away when the sound of a capitol hovercraft had flown by, but Katniss's father had always wanted her to believe that they ended up happily ever after with two beautiful baby birds.

…

Katniss wondered why the sight of Peeta and Gale had reminded her of such a time, especially seeing as she had just compared them with birds trying to mate. In the end though, she just smiled and continued to watch the scene in amusement, it had been a while since an amusing show had ever caught her attention.

"Oh, don't mind me;" Katniss said with a dismissive wave of her hand, motioning for the boys to ignore her presence and continue onwards, "just forget I'm even here…"

The two boy's side glanced at each other but ultimately said nothing else outside of compliments on the behalf of Peeta's cakes, which Gale now sought out to see. As Katniss watched, she realized what Gale had meant about only talking about the one thing at the moment, because that's exactly what Gale was doing now. It was all about the cakes, nothing else…

"How long does it usually take you to finish?" Gale asked, peering at the details of a cake that reminded him of that capitol woman, Effie Trinket. It was huge, it was pink and it had just something jittery about, 'wouldn't be surprise if she actually inspired such a design…'

"A few hours," Peeta answered honestly with a slight yawn, "but it seems far less than that when I'm actually doing it."

Gale nodded and then clamped his hands together, seeing as that was the last cake in the shop's window. "Well…thanks for the show," he said stupidly, shrugging his words off with a sigh and a hand to his face which he covered with a yawn.

"You're welcome," Peeta said lightly, acting like the sweet innocent mannerly boy he really was. Gale found himself blushing yet again from the kind way Peeta was looking at him. He scoffed and then turned to the door with his hand over his mouth.

"I got to go," he muttered, moving past Katniss who had been watching the two this entire time.

"Oh, really?" The girl asked, looking up in surprise with a smile, 'had she seen his slip up?'

"Yeah," Gale nodded, leaving the bakery in a rush.

The blond watched after the brunette in surprise, hesitating to ask Katniss whether he had done something wrong. One look from the Everdeen girl however shut him up, to her; it seemed as if Peeta had just done everything right, which…is what went wrong.

"…do you like Gale, Peeta?" Katniss asked easily, standing from the seat she had been sitting in for the past hour.

"What?" Peeta asked too quickly, stuttering to get the single word out.

Katniss remained serious and then asked again, "do you like him..?"

Peeta didn't know what to say, so he simply remained quiet as his thoughts within his head ran around furiously, questioning whether he had somehow slipped up and exposed the truths behind his little façade of innocence.

The girl sighed and then stood tall. "It's okay if you do, it's better if you do," the girl said.

"Really...?" Peeta asked cautiously, his eyes finding their way up to the girl's face.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I'd rather have you both as friends then enemies."

Peeta's face fell.

"Oh…right," he mumbled with a little forced smile, "of course that's what you meant…"

The girl looked at the bread boy questionably for a second but then shrugged it off; grabbing her belongings that simply consisted with a pad that Cinna had given her to scribble down designs in, seeing as she was to be a designer. It however, was empty as ever.

"I'll see you Peeta," she said as a goodbye, moving to the door before stopping shortly, "oh, by the way, the reason he's acting so weird is because of you."

"Me?" The boy asked back, unsure whether or not he had heard her right.

The girl nodded, looking out into the town of district 12, "he doesn't know how to act around you…it took him a while to actually open up to me when we were young, I thought it had been because of me…but maybe it was him also…"

Peeta continued to stare at Katniss as she seemed to go off into another world, another time where she and Gale existed as young children. Oh, how he wished he could have some of those memories…

"…I guess we were just both shy little birds," she whispered, looking at Peeta slowly, "and now it seems, you and him are the birds…"

"Birds…?" The blond asked unsure, tilting his head to the side as he moved from his left foot to his right.

"Eh, forget it," the huntress said, smiling to herself fondly, "just don't…push him if he quiets down…he'll eventually open up his heart to you, Peeta…"

Again Peeta stalled at that.

'He would…?' he thought, looking at the floor of the bakery as the sounds of Katniss's footsteps faded into the distance, 'Gale Hawthorne would open his heart to him…? He would allow him to go to the place he had only just dreamed about for many – many years?'

"No…of course not," Peeta told himself, leaving the bakery door to go back to the oven, which he had been nearly ignoring on account of Gale's interests in his cakes.

'Katniss had only meant that in a friendly kind of way,' he reminded himself, 'completely plutonic…nothing more and nothing less…'

Though the baker's son told himself that, he couldn't stop smiling from the anticipation of tomorrow, and seeing as he was pretty much alone there was nothing to stop him from cherishing the warm feeling in his gut.

'Open your heart to me…' He thought selfishly, allowing himself to actually wish for something that could never be his, something he could not or will not ever have. Yet, it was nice to just dream, as of late, his dreams only brought on nightmares about the Hunger Games, but with Gale in his mind, well, maybe he could actually sleep peacefully for once.

The boy then shook his head, dismissing the longing girlie feeling once again, this was really no time to swoon head over heels for your friend's best friend, seeing as your friend is your make believe girlfriend.

Peeta sighed, running his hands in the flour and dough before him like he had been doing earlier, thinking the only thing his mind could muster at the moment. Surprisingly, it came out in a strange third person kind of way,

'Life just isn't fair for Peeta Mellark...'

...

**Man, just realized I haven't been placing any author comments.**

**Well, I hoped you enjoyed the update.**

**Hopefully Katniss isn't out of character,**

**couldn't really figure how she would react to such a thing seeing as nothing of the shorts ever really happened to her like this within the novel.**

**Please review and yadda, yadda, yadda**

**- Peace**


	4. What the hell did I dream last night?

'What the hell did I dream last night?'

Gale couldn't shake the lone thought from his head, his feet dragging beneath him as he paced the small room that served as his and his siblings room.

At the moment, his siblings were all out – probably at the market with his mom like usual. And so, that left him all alone, pacing back and forth and awaiting the time for when he was to go meet up with Peeta. Katniss, being Katniss, had shown up with Prim earlier on and had commented on how he was yet again acting like an antsy child.

He had scoffed at that but now, seeing as he was alone, she had been right. But that wasn't what was entirely bothering him now, no, it wasn't.

No, that was the least of his worries…

What was bothering him now was that dream that he had had last night, one in which he had shown up at Peeta's families' bakery, smiling and laughing with the baker's son. The baker's son had also been just as happy to see him as Gale had been. Which is weird, right?

And then to top it all off, Peeta had only been dressed in an apron and a white puffy hat. That had been odd, but Gale had ignored it, well…actually he had noticed it…

Over and over again. He hadn't been able to question it so he had decided to just stare at it – at him, boy did he stare. Stare he did.

Oh, that Peeta.

Gale shook his head and rid himself of the mental picture he was receiving.

It was not wise to be picturing Peeta in such a state, especially since it was doing wonders to Gale's groin, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the hunter.

The teen shrugged and then ran his hand through his hair, kicking the dirty floor, and moving to the right wall once again. He cupped his own cheek and then nodded to his own reflection in the chipped mirror that hung on the wall. He had found this heap in the market, sure it had been cracked a bit, but mirrors are a bit hard to come by…Plus if it ever broke he could use the glass for other things.

'Like cutting off that apron to see what Peeta was hiding beneath it…'

'Shut up.' He coursed against his own thought, turning away from the mirror and looking at the other wall with a shrug. This wall in turn was pretty bare aside from the markings that were visible because of the many target practices he had with it and his hunting knife.

'…I wonder if Peeta would be impressed by my accuracy.'

There it was again, the thoughts…

The thoughts that evidently continued to lead back to Peeta over and over again.

It was crazy, absolutely mad, that he kept thinking about the baker's son. It wasn't healthy, and befriending him certainly wasn't either. In fact, he should just call off the whole 'hang out' thing altogether. But he didn't want to.

No, that was the last thing he wanted to do. Yet isn't it odd that everything he actually wanted to do involved the bread boy? Because they did, each and every one of them –

'Especially the one where I take him into the back of the bakery and –'

'Shut up.' Gale thought once more, throwing his hands into the air with a grunt.

The hunter rebounded around the room and then made his way into the kitchen, which was littered by many baskets of clothing and soap. His mother did have a tight shift around here when it came to the whole washing business she owned.

Gale leaned against the ridged cold and dark counter and then glanced out the window that wasn't really a window in all technically. It was simply a hole in the wall.

Still, he found himself staring into the distance, as far down the road as he could…the road that evidently led to the all too familiar bakery…

Or more importantly...to Peeta Mellark…

"What is with that boy?" Gale wondered aloud once again, still looking at the actual bright sunny day that greeted him. "What is he playing at…what is he trying to do to me…?"

It was a useless question to ask oneself, especially seeing as the blond had nothing to do with it what so ever, at least not directly – no, this was purely the blame game. It wasn't Peeta's fault that Gale thought of him constantly, it wasn't his fault that he dreamt of him either…

It was his; it was Gale Hawthorne's fault.

His and no one else…

So the real question, was why…? Why did Peeta Mellark make him feel so strange? Why was he constantly thinking of the boy, especially in ways that he shouldn't be…?

Why was he so desperate to see the other?

Why was he counting the minutes until he saw him again?

Why was he moving away from the window?

Why was he going outside?

Why was he thinking of Peeta's face?

Why was he walking down the road?

Why was he heading toward the bakery?

Why was the blasted sun so hot today?

Why was Peeta Mellark looking exceptionally hot on the porch of the bakery right before him?

Why was Gale still walking directly up to him?

Why was Peeta looking at him so?

Why is Gale moving closer to the blond?

Why is he KISSING Peeta Mellark?

WHY IS THINKING ABOUT THIS?

Gale pulled out of his thoughts and found himself back at the window in his kitchen again, still looking out of it and wondering if he should actually make his way to the bakery.

The answer - no

Because he now knew what was going on, he now knew why Peeta Mellark was on his mind all the time. He now knew what Game the boy was playing with him…even if the blond didn't know it himself.

He now knew what the hell he had dreamt last night…

…

He had a crush. He was crushing hard, just like Prim had done on that Lawson boy.

That's why he felt so bothered by the boy, that's why his heart nearly exploded at every smile from the boy, and that's why he could never muster up the courage to speak correctly in front of said boy.

…

He was crushing on the baker's son.

He was actually having feelings about the blond - the baker's son.

The baker's son…

The Bread boy...

The Boy with the Bread…

The Boy who loved the Girl on Fire…

The male tribute of district 12…

The winner of the 74th Hunger Games…

…

Peeta Mellark.

He was crushing on Peeta Mellark.

…

Gale exhaled and then looked out the window yet again, his eyes trailing down the road to where he knew the bakery stood.

'…this is a whole other game…'

...

**Hello readers, hopefully you are enjoying this story thus far. **

**I haven't really been posting any author comments so...yeah.**

**Anyway, please review and such for updates and yadda,yadda,yadda.**

**I thought it was about time some realization struck someone, don't you?**

**Hopefully no one is that out of character.**

**Okay, gotta go, or something along the lines of that - sorry for any grammar mistakes.**

**I didn't really check for it, so, yeah.**

**Okay, bye.**

**- Peace**


	5. Diamond in the rough

**I haven't uploaded in a while so here I am. **

**I am sorry for not updating sooner.**

**Please forgive me.**

...

'A whole other game…'

...

Gale gave the blond a bold smile as they treaded their way through the forest. It had taken nearly ten minutes for Peeta to finally enter through the fence, he had been nervous about someone seeing them.

It was expected, Gale knew, but it still made the hunter smile because of the sheer stupidity of it. Plus, Peeta had looked rather cute with that worry plastered over his face, like a fearful child.

Gale shook his head with a laugh dispersing his thoughts, so maybe he did have a crush on the other, maybe he did find the blond to be cute, but who cares. It's not that much of a big deal, not if he doesn't make it as such that is.

"So…where did you say we were going exactly?" Peeta asked, finally speaking up since they had left the fence and district 12 in the distance.

"I didn't." Gale responded, treading forwards through yet another bush.

"Okay…" The blonde interrogated, gripping the basket he held in his arms, "So…where are we going exactly then?"

"It's a surprise." The other said after a pause.

Peeta nodded but still felt as though he was being led to a trap. Not a dangerous trap mind you, no, for he trusted Gale, perhaps maybe a bit too much considering the situations associated between them but, yeah. So anyway, he trusted Gale, but he felt as though he wouldn't be able to keep his cool up any longer the farther he and the hunter got away from the city. That's why it felt as though he was being led to a trap, in the city he was able to hide his true feelings from the hunter because of everyone else around him, but here, with just him and the hunter – A.K.A the hottest guy in district 12, Gale Hawthorne, well, there was just no telling how far Peeta Mellark would fall.

And he knew he would fall, he had already accepted that, but how far he fell, well…he figured that he wouldn't know until it happened.

The silence that fell over them seemed awkward, at least to Gale that is. He couldn't really tell what the bread boy was doing behind him, perhaps he was looking around, or maybe he was thinking about heading back already, or maybe he was staring at his ass.

Gale smirked at the thought. Did Peeta Mellark have a dirty mind like that?

After all, if things were reversed, he would be staring at Peeta's ass, then again, Gale had a crush on the boy, (though he would easy deny so), and there was no telling what Peeta thought about him. Maybe Peeta still hated him and this was all an act for Katniss. Or maybe they were friends, just friends… Or maybe the other boy secretly liked him as well and they were both just being stupid.

Gale laughed. 'As if the last one could ever be true...'

"So, how are things at the bakery?" Gale voiced in, startling the boy behind him.

Peeta had jumped at the sound, and had changed his line of sight from the hunter's ass to his neck.

"G-good." Peeta answered with a blush, hoping to dear god that Gale wouldn't turn around or hear the flutter in his voice.

To Peeta's horror, he did both.

"You okay?" The other had asked, turning to face the Mellark boy.

"Y-yeah." The bread boy insinuated, reddening more.

"Really, you seem flushed?"

"Just the heat..." He lied in return, "anyway, let's keep going."

Gale nodded at the other but didn't by the lie in the slightest. Peeta worked in a bakery for god's sake; he shouldn't find this heat to be anything at all.

"…so, how's…hunting?" Peeta asked, trying to steer the conversation away from him. Gale thought about it and then nodded.

"Good." He answered, watching as Peeta decided to walk besides him instead of behind him. The blond had figured that it would be safer to be seeing the forest in front of him, and not a delicious looking rump that would just make his mouth water.

"…catch anything interesting?"

"No, not really," the hunter said in return, "but maybe I'll be lucky today."

Peeta nodded and then watched as Gale turned into a thicket, he was a bit curious to see what the other had set up back there, but maybe it wasn't in his place to-

"Come and see, Peeta." Gale exclaimed from within the bush.

"Oh, okay." The blond said back, placing his basket on the floor.

He moved forward through the thicket, a few twigs scratching at his cheeks, until he came upon a snare that now held a rabbit. Gale was standing over it, a smile on his face.

"I honestly didn't know if this one would work." The boy admitted, releasing the dead animal from the trap before setting it back up with new wire.

"Why not?"

"I had run out of good twine, so I had to use something of weaker material."

"Oh." The other said with a nod.

"Guess it proved me wrong."

Peeta nodded once more, a smile on his lips.

Gale placed the rabbit in his game bag and then adjusted the snare accordingly. It was such a wonder to Peeta; he honestly found it fascinating when Gale fixed his trap. It wasn't because of the trap initially though; it was because of the guy who fastened it. You see, Gale had strong arms, really strong arms, and it fascinated Peeta that such strong arms could actually be gentle and delicate if needed to. Just look at the hunter's hands, they were rough and hard, but they were able to set up the smallest of knots and slip wires. Inwardly, Peeta wondered if they were actually soft, wondered if maybe those hands could hold him in a way that not only wrung protection but adoration as well.

"Let's get going." Gale grinned, tugging in Peeta's arm as he turned past him to exit the thicket. The blond simply nodded like an idiot and followed the boy another few feet, his basket back at hand once more.

They entered a clearing then, a field, and it was one of the most tantalizing fields Peeta had ever seen in his life. It was yellow, but green, dirty but soft, and every which way he turned, there were tiny flowers sprouting around him.

"...beautiful," he whispered before he could stop himself, blushing when Gale turned to him with yet another grin on his face.

"You haven't seen anything yet." The other proclaimed, taking his arm and pulling him till they were at the edge of a hill.

Peeta at the time had only been aware of the other's arm on his hot skin, but then he had set his eyes on the valley that sat just before them. It was huge, stunning, luscious, free, and just…just…beautiful.

"Wow…" Peeta whispered, dropping the basket on the floor as he continued to stare at the mountain ranges and valleys leading in every direction.

"Yeah…" Gale nodded, briefly glancing at the scene as well until he was staring at the bread boy's face. The other looked genuine in this light, looked radiant and just…just…beautiful.

The two had remained like that for a while, one staring at the sight before them, the other staring at the boy right beside him. Once or twice, they would change positions, Gale would be looking at the mountains, and then Peeta would be looking at Gale. But by the end of the day, Gale would always be looking at Peeta.

"So do you ever get to eat the breads or cakes you make?" Gale wondered, eating a slice of green cake with his bare hands. Like Peeta had promised, he had brought the green mockingjay cake to their little outing, and boy had Gale been right when he had insisted that it would be delicious.

"Aren't I eating one right now?" Peeta asked with a grin, eating his own slice with a fork and a plate. He had brought a set for Gale likewise but the hunter being who he was had opted to instead eat with his hands, which was fine with Peeta in the long run.

"You know what I mean." Gale scoffed, rolling his eyes as he downed his third slice.

Peeta just flicked his tongue with a small laugh and then watched as Gale sliced himself a fourth piece.

"Sometimes, not really though…" the boy answered honestly, "I mean, I get to eat the bread on occasion but the cakes are usually left for the customers…"

"What about the ones that don't sell?" Gale wondered.

The blond shrugged, "I don't really know most of the time…they just go. I think my mom sells them on her own time, or…I don't know."

The hunter nodded and then took another mouthful of cake.

Peeta laughed. "You eat like a pig." He teased, quickly regretting the words in case the other got offended. Was he allowed to say such things, had their relationship allowed such? Did they even have some sort of relationship – or a status of it for that matter?

"Now just because I don't eat like a princess doesn't mean I eat like a pig," the other declared with a grin, relaxing Peeta once more, "trust me, I'm nothing compared to my brothers or even half the residents of district 12."

Peeta nodded in understandment but then realized what the other had insinuated.

"I don't eat like a princess."

"Sure you do," Gale pointed out cockily, "you sit on your bum and eat with china and a fork – all you need is a cup of tea and a crown."

"Why can't I be a prince then? They eat like that too." Peeta pouted.

"I imagine you more of a princess," the other insinuated with a tease, one that would've wrung as a seductive inappropriate comment to anyone else had they been in Peeta's place. Peeta of course had only been slightly offended and embarrassed by it all.

"I'm not a princess," he pouted, setting down his plate and fork, "I can eat without utensils."

To prove his point, he grabbed a slice of cake and forced it into his mouth.

Gale had merely found the other's actions entertaining, and had laughed when Peeta had missed his mouth on the first try, staining his face with green frosting.

"Shut up." Peeta blushed.

"You're so cute." The other admitted without thinking, coughing a bit when he realized what he had just said aloud. Peeta paled.

"…"

Gale sat up from his lying position and then looked over his shoulder to look at the mountains once more, a blush evidently staining his own cheeks.

"…like a child." He blurted, still not looking at the other, "y-you're cute – l-like a child, that's what I had meant…like a child…"

"…of course." Peeta nodded, forcing a large fake smile, "I knew that, I knew that-that's what you meant."

The hunter just nodded and then turned back to Peeta.

He gave a small awkward smile and then motioned to the other's cheek.

Peeta, realizing what he meant wiped at his cheek with a rag he had in the basket, removing the green frosting that had been settling on his face still.

"Did I get all of it…?" The blond asked, inching his cheek closer to the other's line of sight.

Gale nodded but then found a green spot on the bottom corner of the boy's cheek. He pointed at the spot but the other kept missing, so he simply reached over for the rag and wiped at the spot himself. Peeta had reddened at the moment, a fact that had gone unnoticed by the hunter. He blamed it on the lighting though.

"There." He exclaimed when he was done, a grin forming on his lips once more.

"Thanks…" Peeta thanked, trying to control the heat in his face. He really was a princess, wasn't he? But if so…then could that mean that Gale could be his knight in shiny armor, his prince – his star-crossed lover?

Inwardly, he hoped it so…

Inwardly, Peeta Mellark hoped that Gale Hawthorne could be his diamond in the rough.

...

'Diamond in the rough...'

...

**And there you go, hopefully you enjoyed.**

**Excuse any mistakes, this was all free hand and stuff, **

**so I haven't really had the time to edit. (On a tight shift here, so yeah).**

**Please review and stuff,**

**criticism accepted.**

**Thank-you.**

**- Peace.**


End file.
